Method of and apparatus for finishing the bottoms of boots and shoes



Dec. 2, 1930. c. P. BROOKS. JR-. ET AL 1,733,401 METHOD OF AND APPARATUSLEOR FINISHING THE BOTTOMS OF BOOTS; AND SHOES Filed Sept 6, 1929 I71 U6 7750 Mr Patented Dec. 2:, 1930 UNlTEDST-ATES PATENT OFFICE cn'narns :e. recess-3a., Ann SfiMfil-EL KOVNER, or BR-OCKTON, MASSACHUSETTS, AS-

srenoas T0 STANDARD MODERNPRINTIHG GO, mm, or BROCKTQN MASSACHU- snrrs, A, conronnrron or iyressncnusn'r'rsr METHOD OF Ann nrrannrosron rrmsnme THE sermons on BOOTS AND snons 7 Application filed september 6, .1929. .Serial No .'390,730.

Gui present invention is novel and improved method of finishing bottoms ofboots and shoes, particularly the soleand shank portions, and comprises novel means and apparatus for carrying'out our said method.

In the manufacture of boots and shoes it is at present customary to color, ink, dye, or otherwise finish the bottoms of the soles, and often of the shank portions, of shoes. Such methods usually require that the shoe sole and shank be carefully bevelled and smoothed before being colored or impressed with ink, dyes, or the like, and designs for use therein. Owing to the differing contours, however, and

= of varying styles of the shoe sole or bottoms it is a somewhat diliicult operation to properly ink or print finishing designs thereon as the same must be clearly, quickly, and read ily done and clear out when finished. Heretofore it has been customary to do this work by hand, or by means of flatbeds or pads placed on a table or the like, on which the shoe bottom was impressed and rocked or rolled lengthwise and sidewise. Such prior methods were difiicult, and the workman could not, of course, see the work being done, and, where a more or less intricate design was desired to be printed on the shoe bottom, it was not feasible to rock or roll the shoe.

Our present invention consists in enabling the shoe to be held, bottom up, in full view of the workman, and to utilize our novel form, while the printing roll, which is readily inked by any suitable color or dye, on which any desired color or design can be economically laid, can thus be applied to the shoe sole in a convenient and expeditious manner with the work in plainview oi the operator, insuring accuracy and a minimum of labor, while permitting a great range in color, designs, and effects not heretofore possible in this work. It is an important advantage to thus utilize intricate designs which can be quickly formed and applied, enabling cheaper sole leather to be used, and yetto present an attractive shoe bottom of the purchaser.

In carrying out our invention we may utilize either a special or ordinary type of shoe jack which the shoe is held bottom up ward, and we form aspecially contoured printing roller, peculiarly adapted to fit withthe roll is moved from heel to toe to effectthe impression of the finishing design. F urthermore, weiemploy a novel type of inking pad which will cooperate withthe contour of the finishing roll. Other devices, features,and important combinations .will 'be furtherpdescribed and, claimed. p

Referring to the drawings illustrating the preferred embodir'nentv of our invention,

1 is a side view showing the shoe in position for the finishing.

Fig, 2 illustrates our novel form of convex inking pad, to fit the finishing roll.

"Fig; 3 is aview in perspective ofour novel roll, and V i n i l Fig. 4: is a longitudinal cross sectional view of the. finishing roll shown in Fig. 3. V Fig. e illustrates the method of applying the finishing roll to the shoe bottom, and

Fig. 6 is a further .view illustrating the finishing roll in cross section and applied to the heel breast andshank .portion at thebeginning of the finishing. operation.

In the drawings, 1 illustrates anv suitable type of shoe jack having a toe rest portion 2 and a heel rest portion}; on which a spindle 4, shown in dottedlines fits within the thin ble recess of'a shoe ack 5. While our process and apparatus canbeutilized on any type, style, or shape'of shoe and in any make, we have herein illustratedthe same as applied to the conventional type of oxford or low shoe designated at 10 in the drawings, having a heel l l, sole 12, andshank portion 13. Our inking roll, designated generally at 15, comprises a cam shaped portion of wood, metal, fibreor other suitable material 20 having a spindle 21 extending therethrough with headed en-ds22'22, retainin g rotatable handles23j 23 so that thehandles 23 may turn freely on the'spindle 21', permittingthe operator to holdthe handles while manipulating the finishing roll along the shoe bottom. The cam shaped body portion20 is formed withyan extension 24 adapted to enablethe roll to fit snugly Within the heel and shank portion, and applied to the working surface of the body portion is a mass of yieldable material 25, preferably sponge rubber or the like, which may be glued or otherwise secured to the outer surface of the cam or body portion 20. Ve also secure, by any suitable means, to the sponge rubber cushion the printing or design stamping surface of the roll which, preferably, is of suitable rubber formed with the desired design thereon. Such rubber may be of the usual printing stamp size and texture, and can be quickly and economically made with a large range of designs and can, if desired, be removed from the roll and a different designed surface 30 attached thereto. Our finishing rolls can be made so cheaply and with a mass of resilient material between the printing surface 30 and the bed 20 will cover such a large range of sizes and styles of shoe bottoms that it will doubtless be preferable to have separate designs carried by separate rolls rather than to utilize a few rolls to carry a large number of designs.

It will be appreciated that the contours of the shoe soles, shank, and forepart are of very considerable difference in usual shoe styles, and for this purpose the cushioning material 25 is made of substantial depth, and preferably, also, the finishing roll is concaved slightly throughout the middle portion to more snugly fit around the shank and insure the application of the design to the entire sides of the shank, even where it is bevelled or feather edged along the shank portion. This concaving of the finishing roll must be inked quickly with the other portion and, therefore, We have devised a novel finishing pad illustrated in perspective at 35, Fig. 2, with the convex surface 36 across which the finishing roll is moved appropriately to apply the finshing design to the shoe bottom.

With the roll properly inked, the operator can readily apply the same with the extension 24 fitting snuglyvagainst the heel breast of the shoe and then, by a simple rolling action, will effect the finished design from the inked surface 30 onto the entire shank and forepart of the shoe. Such rolling action is easily, quickly, and readily performed and with much less effort than heretofore was necessary in manipulating the entire shoe itself on an inked surface, while it furthermore permits visibility of the Work and finishing roll to the operator. \Ve believe that our present method and the apparatus for carrying out same are a distinct novelty in this art and we wish to claim the same broadly herein.

My invention is further defined in the form of claims as follows:

1. The improved method of finishing boot and shoe bottoms which consists in providing a finishing roll of contour to facilitate contact with the shank and sole portions of a shoe, applying adesired design to be printed on said roll, and inking said roll and thereupon effecting a rolling action between the inked surface and the shoe bottom.

2. Apparatus of the kind described for applying designs to boot and shoe bottoms which comprises a finishing roll having means for the operators hands to effect a rolling action of the same, a resilient cushion layer on said roll, and a design carrying layer on said cushion whereby the said finishing roll will automatically conform its printing surface to the varying contours of the shank and forepart of the shoe soles being operated on.

In testimony whereof, we have signed our names to this specification.

CHARLES P. BROOKS, JR. SAMUEL KOVNER.

IUD 

